Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 4 eBook

I know not what to write upon his reporting to them
that you are actually married. His reasons for
it are plausible. But he delights in odd expedients
and inventions.

Whether you like the people or not, do not, by your
noble sincerity and plain dealing, make yourself enemies.
You are in the real world now you know.

I am glad you had thoughts of taking him at his offer,
if he had re-urged it. I wonder he did not.
But if he do not soon, and in such a way as you can
accept of it, don’t think of staying with him.

Depend upon it, my dear, he will not leave you, either
night or day, if he can help it, now he has got footing.

I should have abhorred him for his report of your
marriage, had he not made it with such circumstances
as leave it still in your power to keep him at distance.
If once he offer at the least familiarity—­but
this is needless to say to you. He can have,
I think, no other design but what he professes; because
he must needs think, that his report of being married
to you must increase your vigilance.

You may depend upon my looking narrowly into the sealings
of your letters. If, as you say, he be base
in that point, he will be so in every thing.
But to a person of your merit, of your fortune, of
your virtue, he cannot be base. The man is no
fool. It is his interest, as well with regard
to his expectations from his own friends, as from you,
to be honest. Would to Heaven, however, you were
really married! This is now the predominant
wish of

YourAnnaHowe.

LETTER III

MissClarissaHarlowe, tomissHoweThursdaymorning, eighto’clock.

I am more and more displeased with Mr. Lovelace, on
reflection, for his boldness in hoping to make me,
though but passively, as I may say, testify to his
great untruth. And I shall like him still less
for it, if his view in it does not come out to be
the hope of accelerating my resolution in his favour,
by the difficulty it will lay me under as to my behaviour
to him. He has sent me his compliments by Dorcas,
with a request that I will permit him to attend me
in the dining-room,—­meet him in good humour,
or not: but I have answered, that as I shall see
him at breakfast-time I desired to be excused.

TEN O’CLOCK.

I tried to adjust my countenance, before I went down,
to an easier air than I had a heart, and was received
with the highest tokens of respect by the widow and
her two nieces: agreeable young women enough in
their persons; but they seemed to put on an air of
reserve; while Mr. Lovelace was easy and free to all,
as if he were of long acquaintance with them:
gracefully enough, I cannot but say; an advantage which
travelled gentlemen have over other people.